The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch

Here's How To Liven Up the Old Main Webcam

It's good news that the university's historic Old Main is going through a renovation. Everyone has their UA Old Main story and a love for the old building. In my family, there's a story about my great-Uncle E.D. Herreras sweeping the floors of the university's first building working his way through school. My fav is from my cousin watching a guy walking and reading a book at the same time during finals whobumped right into the mutant cactus because he wasn't watching where he was going. Hilarious.

The Range got the following bulletin from the UA Communications' site (which is now called UA@Work instead of Que Pasa. Hey, what happened? Too many new staff without basic Spanish skills?):

It's been six months since the construction fences went up around Old Main, but there is still plenty of work to be done before the project's slated deadline of next summer.

Construction and restoration work is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2014 with the building ready for occupancy for the fall 2014 semester. It is anticipated that the renovated building will house senior administrative offices and core student services. Local firm Sundt Construction Inc. is the design-builder for the project and the overall cost is budgeted for $13.5 million, which the University will cover with donated funds.

Peter Dourlein, assistant vice president for UA Planning, Design and Construction, said the biggest obstacles so far have been related to the fragile and sensitive nature of the building.

"We are working with a structure that over 120 years old and it is an extremely delicate and incremental process that requires patience and flexibility," Dourlein said of Old Main. "One has to carefully peel away layers and years of additions while seeking to preserve and reuse as much of the original building as possible."

Six months and an entire school year denying freshmen their own Old Main experiences during their first year? No mutant cactus adoration? No dips in the fountain to cool off when no one is looking? For shame.

But The Powers That Be have put together a webcam so we can watch the project take place. Only problem is the location of the webcam. It's just so, so ... faraway.

Here's the link to the live webcam. But can I make a suggestion? I want the damn camera a little closer. Maybe in the building, or switch it up a bit. If not, we need some nude cyclists cruising through from time to time. Can I get an hallelujah or at least a heads up when some streakers on wheels roll by?